How are there so many $60, $70, $80+ thousand dollar cars on the road??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work in the auto industry. Everything, and I mean everything, revolves around the monthly payment. People actually have no idea what they're paying for their luxury cars. Only what it costs them per month. And sales folks are very very good at getting that number to where it needs to be. Basically, people are dumb.

Yup. That's what I thought.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Audi A3 is $35k. Audi A4 is $45k.

OP here - I wasn't thinking the low end models like A3 or A4. FWIW, I'd much rather get a Rav4 than either of those. My general comment was that I see so many VERY expensive cars on the road and don't quite fathom how there are that many people buying such cars.

It’s pretty easy to lease a car, OP.

And leasing is 99% of time, a really dumb financial decision. But then again, plenty of people buy homes with 5% down that they really cannot afford (and definately don't need), take fancy vacations that they can't afford and don't save enough for college/retirement. Most Americans don't know how to budget and plan

PP here. Of course leasing is a stupid financial decision. But the kinds of vapid morons who drive cars they can’t afford are already financially illiterate so of course they lease.

Literally everyone who leases a car is dumb.

Yup! There is no scenario where it makes financial sense. Some say "its the way to get a new car every 2 years". Well that in and of itself is not smart. Nobody needs a new car every 2 years. Buy and drive for at least 4-5 years minimum.

And yes, many in America are financially illiterate. Most don't get "wants" vs "needs" and how to delay gratification. Kids start in their 20s and want to live just like mom and dad, but don't realize M&D didn't live in that 3K+ luxury home and drive luxury cars when they were 22. We lived in cheap apartments and drove basic cars while we paid off our student loans and saved for our first home.

There are many instances where leasing is the absolute best choice. You have to find the lease deals that make sense.
I have been leasing cars for the past 10 years. My monthly payments on leases are never more than $350. I lease for 3 years then rinse and repeat.
If you do the math on a $350 lease payment, that’s $4200 per year, $42k over 10 years.
I just started a lease on the Polestar 2 LR. Great deal for $299 a month. MSRP for the car is $56k
https://www.polestar.com/us/offers/new/polestar-2-2024-lrdm-lease/

Could I just buy a Camry or Accord for $35k and drive it for 10 years? Yes. But I would spend another $10k on service and maintenance over that time.
My leases come with maintenance included and warranty. Not spending a penny on maintenance.

Even if after running all numbers it would cost me $5k more over 10 years to lease vs buy. It’s totally worth it. Wouldn’t you pay $500 every year to drive a brand new car every three years and not have to deal with maintenance headaches ever?
That’s what I’m doing. It works with the right lease deal.

You're still pissing money away. Bought my Corolla for 11k and about to hit 350k miles. Original tranny and motor! Just change the oil every 10k and basic maintenance like brakes, fluids, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Audi A3 is $35k. Audi A4 is $45k.

OP here - I wasn't thinking the low end models like A3 or A4. FWIW, I'd much rather get a Rav4 than either of those. My general comment was that I see so many VERY expensive cars on the road and don't quite fathom how there are that many people buying such cars.

It’s pretty easy to lease a car, OP.

And leasing is 99% of time, a really dumb financial decision. But then again, plenty of people buy homes with 5% down that they really cannot afford (and definately don't need), take fancy vacations that they can't afford and don't save enough for college/retirement. Most Americans don't know how to budget and plan

PP here. Of course leasing is a stupid financial decision. But the kinds of vapid morons who drive cars they can’t afford are already financially illiterate so of course they lease.

Literally everyone who leases a car is dumb.

Yup! There is no scenario where it makes financial sense. Some say "its the way to get a new car every 2 years". Well that in and of itself is not smart. Nobody needs a new car every 2 years. Buy and drive for at least 4-5 years minimum.

And yes, many in America are financially illiterate. Most don't get "wants" vs "needs" and how to delay gratification. Kids start in their 20s and want to live just like mom and dad, but don't realize M&D didn't live in that 3K+ luxury home and drive luxury cars when they were 22. We lived in cheap apartments and drove basic cars while we paid off our student loans and saved for our first home.

There are many instances where leasing is the absolute best choice. You have to find the lease deals that make sense.
I have been leasing cars for the past 10 years. My monthly payments on leases are never more than $350. I lease for 3 years then rinse and repeat.
If you do the math on a $350 lease payment, that’s $4200 per year, $42k over 10 years.
I just started a lease on the Polestar 2 LR. Great deal for $299 a month. MSRP for the car is $56k
https://www.polestar.com/us/offers/new/polestar-2-2024-lrdm-lease/

Could I just buy a Camry or Accord for $35k and drive it for 10 years? Yes. But I would spend another $10k on service and maintenance over that time.
My leases come with maintenance included and warranty. Not spending a penny on maintenance.

Even if after running all numbers it would cost me $5k more over 10 years to lease vs buy. It’s totally worth it. Wouldn’t you pay $500 every year to drive a brand new car every three years and not have to deal with maintenance headaches ever?
That’s what I’m doing. It works with the right lease deal.

You're still pissing money away. Bought my Corolla for 11k and about to hit 350k miles. Original tranny and motor! Just change the oil every 10k and basic maintenance like brakes, fluids, etc.

That Polestar is not $299 a month. It's $421 when you amortize the $3,300 down payment over the 27 months. And note that the ACTUAL MSRP could be higher, pushing your payment higher. And then, at the end of 27 months, you've paid $11,300 and have ... nothing.

Still isn't a terrible deal; I'd lease an EV before I'd buy one for any number of reasons (and I'm generally against leasing). But don't say it's $299/month. It's not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Literally everyone who leases a car is dumb.

Actually, anyone who believes this is the one lacking financial acumen. We leased a car last summer and prepaid the 36 month lease. It is a luxury electric vehicle that was under a manufacturer subsidized lease, plus the dealer matched the federal tax deduction being offered for other electric care but not the one we bought. So - we saved roughly 10k on the price we would have paid had we bought the vehicle outright, leaving that money for us to invest. We will buy the car at the end of the lease but kept 50% of the cost and the use of our cash for an extra three years.

Is this common for a leasing plan?
What are the mileage restrictions?

I like to swap out to a new car every 2-3 years.
Trying to convince spouse that leasing is the smarter way to go.

Does anyone worry about the environmental toll by getting a new vehicle every 3 years?

I don't. I'm going to be dead in 30-40 years. I don't care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Breaking news at 11! People are just bad with money. They have it so they spend it. They don’t think long term.

Breaking news some people make a lot more than you do and still save more than enough and like to buy nice cars.

The point of the OP is that it's "so MANY $60, $70, $80+ thousand dollar cars on the road", not that *some* people have tons of disposable income, which nobody would debate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Literally everyone who leases a car is dumb.

Actually, anyone who believes this is the one lacking financial acumen. We leased a car last summer and prepaid the 36 month lease. It is a luxury electric vehicle that was under a manufacturer subsidized lease, plus the dealer matched the federal tax deduction being offered for other electric care but not the one we bought. So - we saved roughly 10k on the price we would have paid had we bought the vehicle outright, leaving that money for us to invest. We will buy the car at the end of the lease but kept 50% of the cost and the use of our cash for an extra three years.

Is this common for a leasing plan?
What are the mileage restrictions?

I like to swap out to a new car every 2-3 years.
Trying to convince spouse that leasing is the smarter way to go.

Does anyone worry about the environmental toll by getting a new vehicle every 3 years?

This mentality is why future generations are screwed.

I don't. I'm going to be dead in 30-40 years. I don't care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My sister’s kitted out Honda minivan was more than our BMW, Mercedes, and Volvo. The difference is she bought new and we bought used.

Did you factor in the maintenance and repairs?

[Anonymous]

Some people make poor financial choices. Smart people don't buy expensive vehicles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Audi A3 is $35k. Audi A4 is $45k.

OP here - I wasn't thinking the low end models like A3 or A4. FWIW, I'd much rather get a Rav4 than either of those. My general comment was that I see so many VERY expensive cars on the road and don't quite fathom how there are that many people buying such cars.

It’s pretty easy to lease a car, OP.

And leasing is 99% of time, a really dumb financial decision. But then again, plenty of people buy homes with 5% down that they really cannot afford (and definately don't need), take fancy vacations that they can't afford and don't save enough for college/retirement. Most Americans don't know how to budget and plan

PP here. Of course leasing is a stupid financial decision. But the kinds of vapid morons who drive cars they can’t afford are already financially illiterate so of course they lease.

Literally everyone who leases a car is dumb.

Yup! There is no scenario where it makes financial sense. Some say "its the way to get a new car every 2 years". Well that in and of itself is not smart. Nobody needs a new car every 2 years. Buy and drive for at least 4-5 years minimum.

And yes, many in America are financially illiterate. Most don't get "wants" vs "needs" and how to delay gratification. Kids start in their 20s and want to live just like mom and dad, but don't realize M&D didn't live in that 3K+ luxury home and drive luxury cars when they were 22. We lived in cheap apartments and drove basic cars while we paid off our student loans and saved for our first home.

There are many instances where leasing is the absolute best choice. You have to find the lease deals that make sense.
I have been leasing cars for the past 10 years. My monthly payments on leases are never more than $350. I lease for 3 years then rinse and repeat.
If you do the math on a $350 lease payment, that’s $4200 per year, $42k over 10 years.
I just started a lease on the Polestar 2 LR. Great deal for $299 a month. MSRP for the car is $56k
https://www.polestar.com/us/offers/new/polestar-2-2024-lrdm-lease/

Could I just buy a Camry or Accord for $35k and drive it for 10 years? Yes. But I would spend another $10k on service and maintenance over that time.
My leases come with maintenance included and warranty. Not spending a penny on maintenance.

Even if after running all numbers it would cost me $5k more over 10 years to lease vs buy. It’s totally worth it. Wouldn’t you pay $500 every year to drive a brand new car every three years and not have to deal with maintenance headaches ever?
That’s what I’m doing. It works with the right lease deal.

You're still pissing money away. Bought my Corolla for 11k and about to hit 350k miles. Original tranny and motor! Just change the oil every 10k and basic maintenance like brakes, fluids, etc.

Yeah but you’re driving a Corolla with 350k miles on it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some people make poor financial choices. Smart people don't buy expensive vehicles.

So… since I’m sure you consider yourself a smart person, what do smart people spend money on?

[Anonymous]

I would never spend that much on a car. Huge waste of money. But some people, strangely, make a big deal of the car they drive. To each their own. I’ll save that money or use it for something more worthwhile.

[Anonymous]

My daily commuter is a 5 speed 2005 Toyota Corolla ce w around 130k miles. Love that thing!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Audi A3 is $35k. Audi A4 is $45k.

OP here - I wasn't thinking the low end models like A3 or A4. FWIW, I'd much rather get a Rav4 than either of those. My general comment was that I see so many VERY expensive cars on the road and don't quite fathom how there are that many people buying such cars.

It’s pretty easy to lease a car, OP.

And leasing is 99% of time, a really dumb financial decision. But then again, plenty of people buy homes with 5% down that they really cannot afford (and definately don't need), take fancy vacations that they can't afford and don't save enough for college/retirement. Most Americans don't know how to budget and plan

PP here. Of course leasing is a stupid financial decision. But the kinds of vapid morons who drive cars they can’t afford are already financially illiterate so of course they lease.

Literally everyone who leases a car is dumb.

Yup! There is no scenario where it makes financial sense. Some say "its the way to get a new car every 2 years". Well that in and of itself is not smart. Nobody needs a new car every 2 years. Buy and drive for at least 4-5 years minimum.

And yes, many in America are financially illiterate. Most don't get "wants" vs "needs" and how to delay gratification. Kids start in their 20s and want to live just like mom and dad, but don't realize M&D didn't live in that 3K+ luxury home and drive luxury cars when they were 22. We lived in cheap apartments and drove basic cars while we paid off our student loans and saved for our first home.

There are many instances where leasing is the absolute best choice. You have to find the lease deals that make sense.
I have been leasing cars for the past 10 years. My monthly payments on leases are never more than $350. I lease for 3 years then rinse and repeat.
If you do the math on a $350 lease payment, that’s $4200 per year, $42k over 10 years.
I just started a lease on the Polestar 2 LR. Great deal for $299 a month. MSRP for the car is $56k
https://www.polestar.com/us/offers/new/polestar-2-2024-lrdm-lease/

Could I just buy a Camry or Accord for $35k and drive it for 10 years? Yes. But I would spend another $10k on service and maintenance over that time.
My leases come with maintenance included and warranty. Not spending a penny on maintenance.

Even if after running all numbers it would cost me $5k more over 10 years to lease vs buy. It’s totally worth it. Wouldn’t you pay $500 every year to drive a brand new car every three years and not have to deal with maintenance headaches ever?
That’s what I’m doing. It works with the right lease deal.

You're still pissing money away. Bought my Corolla for 11k and about to hit 350k miles. Original tranny and motor! Just change the oil every 10k and basic maintenance like brakes, fluids, etc.

Yeah but you’re driving a Corolla with 350k miles on it.

So? They haven't had a car payment for over 5-7+ years most likely. If they have been saving, their next car can be paid for with mostly cash. The Corolla did it's job---was safe, reliable and got them to/from their job and transported the family

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My sister’s kitted out Honda minivan was more than our BMW, Mercedes, and Volvo. The difference is she bought new and we bought used.

Yes. We bought a Mercedes for 20k and it's 12 years old and still drives great. I also like the way it looks better than new Honda type sedans. It's funny because my teens' friends are impressed with the car and think it's "fancy", but it really didn't cost that much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Breaking news at 11! People are just bad with money. They have it so they spend it. They don’t think long term.

Breaking news some people make a lot more than you do and still save more than enough and like to buy nice cars.

The point of the OP is that it's "so MANY $60, $70, $80+ thousand dollar cars on the road", not that *some* people have tons of disposable income, which nobody would debate.

+1. PP is a fool if she thinks everyone driving these cars can comfortably afford them. We are car shopping and I’m in several Facebook groups for the cars we are considering. It has been shocking to me how many people will post a photo of their brand new top trim $55k Honda Pilot (or whatever) in front of their $hit box house.